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Paterson, New Jersey
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Paterson is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 149,222. Census population projections indicate a population of 146,545 as of 2007, making it New Jersey's third largest city. It is the county seat of Passaic County.
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Paterson is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 149,222. Census population projections indicate a population of 146,545 as of 2007, making it New Jersey's third largest city. It is the county seat of Passaic County. Paterson is known as the "Silk City" for its dominant role in silk production during the later 19th century.
Paterson was originally formed as a township from portions of Acquackanonk Township on April 11, 1831, while the area was still part of Essex County. Paterson became part of the newly-created Passaic County on February 7, 1837. Paterson was incorporated as a city on April 14, 1851, based on the results of a referendum held that day. The city was reincorporated on March 14, 1861.
History
In 1791, Alexander Hamilton helped found the Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures (S.U.M.), which helped encourage the harnessing of energy from the Great Falls of the Passaic, to secure economic independence from British manufacturers. Paterson, which was founded by the society, became the cradle of the industrial revolution in America. Paterson was named for William Paterson, Governor of New Jersey, statesman, and signer of the Constitution.
French architect, engineer, and city planner Pierre L'Enfant, who developed the plans for Washington, D.C., was the first superintendent for the S.U.M. project. He devised a plan, which would harness the power of the Great Falls through a channel in the rock and an aqueduct. However, the society's directors felt he was taking too long and was over budget. He was replaced by Peter Colt, who used a less-complicated reservoir system to get the water flowing to factories in 1794. Eventually, Colt's system developed some problems and a scheme resembling L'Enfant's original plan was used after 1846. L'Enfant, meanwhile, brought his city plans with him when he designed Washington, and that city's layout resembles the plan he wanted to develop for Paterson.
The industries developed in Paterson were powered by the 77-foot high Great Falls, and a system of water raceways that harnessed the power of the falls. The city began growing around the falls and until 1914 the mills were powered by the waterfalls. The district originally included dozens of mill buildings and other manufacturing structures associated with the textile industry and later, the firearms, silk, and railroad locomotive manufacturing industries. In the latter half of the 1800s, silk production became the dominant industry and formed the basis of Paterson's most prosperous period, earning it the nickname "Silk City." In 1835, Samuel Colt began producing firearms in Paterson, although within a few years he moved his business to Hartford, Connecticut. Later in the 19th century, Paterson was the site of early experiments with submarines by Irish-American inventor John Holland. Two of Holland's early models — one found at the bottom of the Passaic River — are on display in the Paterson Museum, housed in a former mill near the Passaic Falls.
The city was a mecca for immigrant laborers who worked in its factories as well. Paterson was also the site of historic labor unrest that focused on anti-child labor legislation, and the six-month long Paterson silk strike of 1913 that demanded the eight-hour day and better working conditions, but was defeated by the employers with workers forced to return under pre-strike conditions. Factory workers labored long hours for low wages under dangerous conditions, and lived in crowded tenement buildings around the mills. The factories then moved south where there were no labor unions, and later moved overseas.
In 1932, Paterson opened Hinchliffe Stadium, a 9,500-seat stadium named in honor of John V. Hinchliffe, a former Paterson mayor. Hinchliffe originally served as the site for high school and semi-professional athletic events. From 1933–1937, 1939-1945, Hinchliffe was the home of the New York Black Yankees and in 1936 the home of the New York Cubans of the Negro National League. The historic ballpark was also a venue for many professional football games, track and field events, boxing matches and auto and motorcycle racing. The track was used for filming by Abbott and Costello. Hinchliffe is one of few Negro League stadiums left standing in the United States, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1963, Paterson Public Schools acquired the stadium and used it for public school events until 1997, but it is currently in a state of disrepair, while the schools have been taken over by the state SN.
During World War II Paterson played an important part in the aircraft engine industry. By the end of WWII, however, there was a decline in urban areas and Paterson was no exception, and since the 1970s the city has suffered high unemployment rates.
Once a premier shopping and leisure destination of northern New Jersey, competition from the malls in upscale neighboring towns like Wayne and Paramus have forced the big-chain stores out of Paterson’s downtown. The biggest industries are now small businesses because the factories have moved overseas. However, the city still, as always, attracts many immigrants. Many of these immigrants have revived the city's economy especially through small businesses.
The downtown area was struck by massive fires several times, the most recent of which occurred in 1991. In this fire, a near full city block (bordered on the north and south by Main and Washington Street and on the east and west by Ellison Street and College Boulevard, a stretch of Van Houten Street that is dominated by Passaic County Community College) was engulfed in flames due to an electrical fire in the basement of a bar. The area was so badly damaged that most of the burned buildings were demolished, with an outdoor mall standing in their place. The most notable of the buildings to be destroyed was the Meyer Brothers department store, which was one of the few remaining department stores in the city.
Lambert Castle Museum
Lambert Castle was built in 1893 as the home of Catholina Lambert, the self-made owner of a prominent silk mill in the City of Paterson. Constructed in the Medieval Revival architectural style, Mr. Lambert's dream was to build a home reminiscent of the castles in Great Britain that he remembered from his boyhood years.
After Lambert's death in 1923, his family sold the building to the City of Paterson, which in turn sold it to the County of Passaic a few years later. The County of Passaic used the building for administrative offices, and in 1936, provided one room to the fledgling Passaic County Historical Society to serve as its historical museum. As time went by the museum grew, room by room, until the entire first floor became the historical museum.
In the late 1990s, the Castle underwent a multi-million dollar restoration and all four floors of the building were developed into a museum and library. Today, the County of Passaic remains the owner of the building and generously supports the facilities' operation; however, the Passaic County Historical Society is solely responsible for the operation and management of Lambert Castle Museum with its historical period rooms, long-term and changing exhibition galleries, educational programs for elementary and middle-school students, and research library/archive. The private, membership-supported, non-profit Passaic County Historical Society owns the historical artifacts, artwork and archives in Lambert Castle Museum. This unique public-private partnership enables the residents of Passaic County to have a historical museum to proudly call their own.
Geography
Paterson is located at (40.915498, -74.162927) in the Piedmont region between the Appalachian foothills and the Coastal Plain.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.6 km² (8.7 mi²). 21.9 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (3.32%) is water.
Neighborhoods
The Great Falls Historic District is the most famous neighborhood in Paterson, because of the landmark Great Falls of the Passaic River. The city has attempted to revitalize the area in recent years, including the installation of period lamp posts and the conversion of old industrial buildings into apartments and retail. Many artists live in this section of Paterson. A major redevelopment project is planned for this district in the coming years. The Paterson Museum is situated in the Historic District.
Downtown Paterson is the main commercial district of the city and was once a shopping mecca for northern New Jersey. After a devastating fire in 1902, the city rebuilt the downtown with massive Beaux-Arts-style buildings, many of which remain to this day. These buildings are usually four to seven stories tall. Downtown Paterson is home to City Hall and the Passaic County Courthouse Annex, two of the city's architectural landmarks. City Hall was designed by the New York firm Carrere and Hastings in 1894, and is modeled after the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) in Lyon, France, capital of the silk industry in Europe.
The former Orpheum Theatre located on Van Houten street, has been converted to a Mosque. The massive structure now known as Masjid Jalalabad, can accommodate 1,500 worshippers.
As with many other old downtown districts in the United States, Downtown Paterson suffered as shoppers and retailers moved to the suburban shopping malls of the region. Many historic buildings are in disrepair or are abandoned after years of neglect. In addition, Downtown Paterson is an Urban Enterprise Zone. The city has, in recent years, begun initiatives in hopes of reviving the downtown area. A project called the Center City project will convert a downtown parking lot into a commercial and entertainment center with office space. Downtown Paterson is located in the city's 1st Ward.
Eastside Park Historic District consists of about 1,000 homes, including Tudors, Georgian colonials, Victorians, Italianate villas and Dutch colonials. It is located east of downtown. Once the home of the city's industrial and political leaders, the neighborhood experienced a significant downturn as industry fled Paterson. In recent years, gentrification has begun to occur in the neighborhood and some of the area's historic houses have been restored. The Eastside Park Historic District is a state and nationally-registered historic place. The jewel of the neighborhood is Eastside Park and the mansions that surround it. In addition, this section of Paterson once had a large Jewish population and there is still a synagogue left. Eastside Park and what is commonly known as the Upper Eastside is located in Paterson's 3rd Ward.
Manor Section is a residential neighborhood in Paterson. It is located east of East 33rd Street, north of Broadway and south-west of Route 20 and the Passaic River. The Manor section of Paterson is located in the city's 3rd Ward.
South Paterson is a diverse neighborhood with a significant Arab as well as Turkish, and Hispanic community located east of Main Street and west of West Railway Avenue. A majority of the city's Arabs live in this section of Paterson. Many of the retail shops and restaurants cater to this community. The neighborhood is also characterized by Halal meat markets which offer goat and lamb, and shop signs in Arabic. South Paterson's Arab community is mostly made up of Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese people. South Paterson is located in the city's 6th Ward.
Lakeview is situated in the southern part of the city, the Lakeview Section is a middle-class neighborhood. Interstate 80 runs north of this district. Lakeview is home to the Paterson Farmers Market, where people from all across North Jersey come to buy fresh produce. The neighborhood consists primarily of Hispanics and African-Americans, although this neighborhood also has a sizable European descent, Middle-Eastern and Asian population, including a significant Filipino presence. Lakeview also shares some of the same characteristics as neighboring Clifton as they both share the neighborhood bearing the same name. The Lakeview section of Paterson is located in the city's 6th Ward.
Hillcrest is a large mostly residential, middle-class enclave, to the west of the downtown area. Its borders' limits are Preakness Avenue to the east, Cumberland Avenue to the west and Totowa Avenue along with West Side Park and the Passaic River to the south. Hillcrest is one of Paterson's most desirable neighborhoods. The Hillcrest section of Paterson is located in the city's 2nd Ward
People's Park is a vibrant neighborhood located north of 23rd Avenue and South of Market Street.
Twenty-First Avenue or "La Ventiuno" as it's known by most of Paterson's Spanish-speaking community, is located in the People's Park section of Paterson. It is an active and vibrant retail strip featuring a variety of shops and services catering to a diverse clientèle. Twenty First Avenue, home to SLD, used to have a large Italian population. Although there is still a significant Italian presence left in the neighborhood, it also has a large first-generation Hispanic population, particularly Colombian.
Wrigley Park is a neighborhood that has suffered from years of poverty, crime, and neglect. It is mostly African-American. Poverty, crime, open-air drug markets, prostitution, vacant lots, and boarded-up windows are common in this area. However, there are new houses being built and crime has dropped in recent years. This neighborhood is located north of Broadway.
Sandy Hill is a neighborhood in Paterson located roughly west of Madison Avenue, north of 21st Avenue, south of Park Avenue and east of Straight Street. Due to Paterson's significant population turn-over, this neighborhood is now home to a large Hispanic community, mostly first-generation Dominicans. The Sandy Hill section of Paterson is located in the city's 5th Ward. Roberto Clemente Park, which was originally known as Sandy Hill Park is located in this neighborhood.
Northside, located north of Downtown, suffers from some of the social problems currently facing the Wrigley Park neighborhood but to a lesser extent. This neighborhood borders the boroughs of Haledon and Prospect Park and it is known for its hills and having sweeping views of New York City. The Northside section of Paterson is located in the city's 1st Ward.
Totowa Section is a large neighborhood located west of the Passaic River, south-west of West Broadway and north-east of Preakness Avenue. It is mostly Hispanic with a rising South Asian community, mainly Bangladeshi. Many Bengali grocery stores and clothing stores are located on Union Ave and the surrounding streets. Masjid Al-Ferdous is located on Union Ave, which accommodates the daily Bangladeshi pedestrian population.
A large Italian presence remains in this neighborhood. Many Peruvian and other Latin American restaurants and businesses are located on Union Avenue. Colonial Village and Brooks Sloate Terraces are located in this neighborhood. The Totowa Section is located in parts of the 1st and 2nd Wards of Paterson.
Stoney Road is Paterson's most south-west neighborhood, bordering Woodland Park to the south and Totowa across the Passaic River to the west. This neighborhood is home to Pennington Park, Hayden Heights, Lou Costello Pool, the Levine reservoir, Murray Avenue, Mc Bride Avenue and Garret Heights. A strong Italian presence remains in this neighborhood. The Stoney Road section of Paterson is located in the city's 2nd Ward.
Riverside is a larger neighborhood in Paterson and, as its name states, this neighborhood is bound by the Passaic River to the north and east, separating the city from Hawthorne and Fair Lawn. Riverside is a working-class neighborhood. The neighborhood is mostly residential with some industrial uses. Madison Avenue cuts through the heart of this district. Route 20 runs through the eastern border of Riverside providing an easy commute to Route 80 East and New York City. This section is ethnically diverse with a growing Hispanic community concentrating mostly north and along River Street. Many Albanians make their home in the East 18th Street and River Street areas. River View Terrace is located in this neighborhood. Riverside is located in parts of the 3rd and 4th Wards of Paterson.
Bunker Hill is a mostly industrial area west of River Street and east of the Passaic River.
Diversity
Since its early beginnings, Paterson has been a melting pot. Irish, Germans, Dutch and Jews settled in the City in the 19th century. Italian and Eastern European immigrants soon followed. As early as 1890, many Syrian and Lebanese immigrants also arrived in Paterson.
Many 2nd and 3rd generation Puerto Ricans have been calling Paterson home since the 1950s but most recently first generation Dominican, Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican, Central American, and various South American immigrants have arrived.
Western Market Street, sometimes called Little Lima by tourists, is home to many Peruvian and other Latin-American businesses. In contrast if one travels east on Market Street, a heavy concentration of Dominican-owned restaurants, beauty salons, barber shops and other businesses can be seen. The Great Falls Historic District, Cianci Street, Union Avenue and 21st Avenue have several Italian businesses. To the north of the Great Falls is a fast-growing Bangladeshi population. Park Avenue and Market Street between Straight Street and Madison Avenue is heavily Dominican and Puerto Rican. Main Street, just south of downtown, is heavily Mexican with a declining Puerto-Rican community. Costa Ricans and other Central American immigrant communities are growing in the Riverside and Peoples Park neighborhoods. Broadway or Martin Luther King Jr. Way is predominantly black, as is the Fourth Ward and parts of Eastside and Northside. Paterson's black community is made up of African Americans of Southern heritage and more recent Caribbean and African immigrants. Main Street between the Clifton border and Madison Avenue is heavily Turkish and Arab. 21st Avenue in the People's Park section is characterized by Colombian and other Latin-American restaurants and shops.
Every summer, Patersonians enjoy an African-American Day Parade , a Dominican Day Parade, a Puerto Rican Day Parade, a Peruvian Day Parade, and a Turkish-American Day Parade.
Paterson is considered by many the capital of the Peruvian Diaspora in the U.S. Paterson's Peruvian community celebrates what is known as Señor de los Milagros or "Our Lord of Miracles" in English on October 18 through 28th of every year.
Paterson is home to the 3rd largest Dominican-American Community in the United States, after New York City and Lawrence, Massachusetts
Paterson is home to the largest Turkish-American immigrant community in the U.S. and the second largest Arab-American community after Dearborn, Michigan. The Greater Paterson area which includes the cities of Clifton and Wayne and the boroughs of Haledon, Prospect Park, North Haledon, Totowa, Woodland Park, and Little Falls, is home to the nation's largest North Caucasian population comprised mostly of Circassians, Karachays, and a small Chechen community. Reflective of these communities, Paterson and Prospect Park public schools observe Muslim holidays.
Paterson has seen a growing Bengali population open up a branch of the Sonali Exchange Company Inc. on Union Avenue in the Totowa Section. The Sonali Exchange Company is a subsidiary of Sonali Bank, The largest state owned commercial bank in Bangladesh.
The greater Paterson area
The following municipalities border Paterson and are considered to be its suburbs: The boroughs of Prospect Park, Haledon, Totowa, Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson), Hawthorne (formerly North Paterson) and the City of Clifton in Passaic County; and the boroughs of Elmwood Park (formerly East Paterson) and Fair Lawn in Bergen County. The municipalities formerly known as East, West and North Paterson have all changed their names over the past two decades in order to avoid association with the city.
Paterson and its suburbs are sometimes known informally as Greater Paterson. The nearby township of Wayne is also considered to be a part of Greater Paterson. Two important Wayne institutions — William Paterson University and — have their origins in 19th century Paterson before moving to suburban Wayne in the 20th century.
Paterson forms part of the Paterson-Clifton-Passaic Metropolitan Area, along with Passaic and Clifton.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 149,222 people, 44,710 households, and 33,353 families residing in the city. With a population density of 6,826.4/km² (17,675.4/mi²), Paterson is the second most densely populated large city (i.e., with a population of 100,000 or more) in the United States, only after New York City.
There were 47,169 housing units at an average density of 2,157.8/km² (5,587.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 32.90% African American, 13.20% White, 0.60% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 27.60% from other races, and 6.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.1% of the population. The majority of Hispanics are Peruvian, Colombian, Dominican and Puerto Rican.
There were 44,710 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 26.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.71.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,778, and the median income for a family was $35,420. Males had a median income of $27,911 versus $22,733 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,257. About 19.2% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
The City of Paterson Municipal Council was created as a result of a 1974 decision to change its form of government from a 1907 statute-based form, to a Faulkner Act Plan-D Mayor-Council form.
The 1907 statute-based form consisted of various boards. A Board of Aldermen, Board of Finance, Board of Health, Board of Public Works, Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.
The Mayor-Council plan consisted of a Mayor and nine Council members. Six of the members that sit on the Municipal Council represent each of the city's six wards. The three remaining members are members At-Large. The Municipal Council has the responsibility of reviewing and approving Municipal legislation.
Under the Mayor-Council plan, the Mayor is the chief executive and is responsible for administering the City's activities. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term by the citizens and is responsible for them. His/Her function includes enforcing the charter and the ordinances and laws passed by the City Council. The Mayor appoints all department heads including the business administrator, with the advise and consent of the Council s/he may also remove and or all department heads after giving them notice and an opportunity to be heard.
With the assistance of the business administrator, the Mayor is responsible for preparation of the municipal budget. The Mayor submits the budget to the Council along with a detailed analysis of expenditures and revenues. The Council may reduce any item or items in the budget by a majority vote, but can only increase an item by a two-thirds vote.
The Mayor of Paterson is . He is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
City Council Members are:
- William C. McKoy - Council President and Third Ward
- Anthony "Eboney" Davis - First Ward
- Aslon Goow Sr. - Second Ward
- Vera Ames-Garnes - Fourth Ward
- Julio Tavarez - Fifth Ward
- Andre Sayegh - Sixth Ward
- Rigo Rodriguez - Councilman At-Large
- Jeffery Jones - Councilman At-Large
- Kenneth Morris Jr. - Councilman At-Large
Federal, state and county representation
Paterson is in the Eighth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 35th Legislative District.
Emergency services
Fire
Commerce
Portions of Paterson are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide).
Transportation
The city is served by the New Jersey Transit Main Line commuter rail service. The line stops in the Downtown area at the Paterson station. Plans are being developed for Paterson to receive Light Rail service on the existing NYS&W line, which is currently single-tracked. This light rail line would be called the Bergen-Passaic Light Rail and would have five stops in Paterson. In addition, the Newark Light Rail may come in time to the existing NJ Transit station.
Bus service to locations in Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties is provided by NJ Transit, making the city a regional transit hub. The Broadway Bus Terminal, also downtown, is the terminus for NJ Transit bus lines to Newark and the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station in New York City. City Hall has many buses that stop at or near it, going to various points in the area (including New York and the neighboring communities). Service to Manhattan and shopping centers in Bergen County is also provided by independent bus carriers.
Education
The Paterson Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade and also has Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide. The school system has over 30,000 students who speak 25 different languages. The school system currently has fifty-two schools with over six thousand employees, with a per pupil expenditure of nearly $16,000, of which $8,148 goes towards classroom instruction.
In 1988, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to authorize its State Department of Education to take over local school districts that were failing according to an established monitoring process. In 1991, the city of Paterson became the second of the three troubled districts that had to cede control of its public schools to the state. The presumption was that improvement would follow.
To date, Paterson Public schools is still controlled by the State of New Jersey Department of Education. As such, Paterson Public Schools is managed by a state-appointed Superintendent and maintains a School Advisory Board that serves in an advisory capacity only.
In popular culture
Paterson is the subject of William Carlos Williams' five-book epic poem Paterson, a cornerstone work of modern American poetry.
Paterson Falls was featured in season one of The Sopranos in the episode Pax Soprana as the place where Junior Soprano's friend, Capri's grandson committed suicide after taking poor designer drugs. As a favor, Junior Soprano had Mikey Palmice and another individual toss the dealer, Rusty Irish, over the falls.
Paterson is mentioned in the third verse of the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane". The lyrics "In Paterson that's just the way things go / If you're Black you might as well not show / Up on the street / Unless you want to draw the heat", referred to the controversial arrest and conviction of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, whose conviction was overturned in 1985, as dramatized in the 1999 Denzel Washington film, The Hurricane.
The film Lean On Me is based on events that occurred in Paterson's Eastside High School.
1976's Alice, Sweet Alice with Brooke Shields was filmed entirely in Paterson, the director's hometown.
In the episode "Stark Raving Dad" of The Simpsons, a Michael Jackson impersonator turns out to be Leon Kompowski, a bricklayer from Paterson.
Paterson is mentioned in the twelfth line of Part 1 of Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl.
The 2002 film State Property was completely filmed in Paterson.
The first marketable revolver was produced in Paterson by Samuel Colt starting in 1836, and was known as the Colt Paterson.
1910 Paterson was the setting of John Updike's 1997 novel In the Beauty of the Lilies.
The 1983 music video "Two Tribes" by "Frankie Goes To Hollywood" makes reference to Paterson in its opening sequence.
Famous Patersonians
Notable current and former residents of Paterson include:
- Mike (PoP) Adams (born 1981), pro football player, currently playing for the Cleveland Browns.
- Adeva (born 1960), house music and R&B vocalist
- Bruce Arians (born 1952), offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Lawrence Barrett (1838-1891), actor, one of the leading American actors of the 19th century.
- Charles D. Beckwith (1838-1921), represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district from 1889 to 1891, and was mayor of Paterson from 1885-1889.
- Alexander Berzin (born 1944), Buddhist Scholar, translator and teacher focusing on the Tibetan tradition.
- Just Blaze (born 1978), hip hop music producer
- JusThoughtZ (born 1990), hip hop music artist and producer
- Bill Braun, auto racer
- Gaetano Bresci (1869-1901), weaver and anarchist, assassinated Italian king Umberto I.
- Johnny Briggs (born 1944), former Major League Baseball player
- Mark Brown (born 1980), NFL linebacker who played for the New York Jets.
- Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (born 1937), boxer whose triple murder conviction was later overturned, subject of the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" and the movie The Hurricane.
- Federico Castelluccio (born 1964), Italian-born actor, most known for portraying Furio Giunta on the HBO series The Sopranos.
- Joe Clark (born 1938), educator and former principal of Eastside High School, depicted by Morgan Freeman in the movie Lean on Me.
- Lou Costello (1906-1959), of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello.
- Christos M. Cotsakos, (born 1948), former CEO of E*TRADE.
- Sunda Croonquist, comic and actress
- Larry Doby (1923-2003), Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player who broke the color barrier in the American League.
- Eric Downing (born 1978), NFL player
- Lou Duva (born 1922), boxing trainer, manager, and promoter. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.
- Eddie Einhorn (born 1936), part owner of the Chicago White Sox.
- Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997), writer and Beat Generation poet.
- Talmadge Hayer, one of the men convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X
- Gerald Hayes (born 1980), linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals.
- Ureli Corelli Hill (1802-1875), music conductor and founder of the New York Symphony Orchestra.
- Garret A. Hobart (1844-1899), twenty-fourth Vice President of the United States
- Michael Hossack (born 1946), drummer, member of the Doobie Brothers
- Charlie Jamieson (1893-1969), Major League Baseball player.
- Jemal Johnson, (born 1985), is a soccer player who currently plays for English Coca Cola League One side Milton Keynes Dons.
- Maxine Jones (born 1966), singer, member of En Vogue
- Bernard Kerik (born 1955), former NYPD Police Chief and NY Department of Corrections Commissioner, was born in Newark NJ but was raised in Paterson
- Frank Lautenberg (born 1924), politician, currently represents New Jersey in the United States Senate
- Edward L. Masry (1932-2005), attorney whose firm was behind the case featured in Erin Brockovich.
- Thomas McEwan, Jr. (1854-1926), represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 1895 to 1899.
- George Middleton (1880-1967), American playwright
- Simon Perchik (born 1923), poet
- Joseph D. Pistone (born 1939), aka Donnie Brasco, FBI agent and author who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family
- Bucky Pizzarelli (born 1926), jazz guitarist
- John Pizzarelli (born 1960), jazz guitarist and singer
- Martin Pizzarelli - jazz double-bassist
- David Prater (1937-1988), of the soul duo Sam & Dave.
- Amos H. Radcliffe (1870-1950), Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey from 1916–1919, and represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 1919 to 1923.
- Prince Randian (1871-1934), performer
- Frederick Reines (1918-1998), awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physics for detection of the neutrino
- Frankie Ruiz (1958-1998), salsa music singer
- John Ryle (1817-1887), Paterson industrialist and capitalist, known as the "Father of the United States Silk Industry" starting the first silk mill in 1839. A native of Macclesfield, England, he served as Mayor of Paterson from 1869–1870 following his acclaimed success in lobbying Congress to repeal the tax on domestic silk. He later founded the Passaic Water Company, and owned substantial amounts of property including the Great Falls of the Passaic at the time of his death.
- Mary Danforth Ryle (1833-1904), Paterson philanthropist who donated millions to various city institutions, notably the Danforth Memorial Library, named in memory of her father, Charles Danforth, a locomotive tycoon.
- Francisco Salazar (born 1987), aspiring American soccer player who currently plays in Peru for powerhouse Alianza Lima
- Marcel Shipp (born 1978), running back for the Arizona Cardinals.
- John Spencer (1946-2005), actor, best known for his role as Leo McGarry, the White House Chief of Staff on the television drama The West Wing
- J. Michael Straczynski (born 1954), science-fiction writer, creator and writer for Babylon 5
- Albert Tangora (1903-1978), holder of the speed record for typing on a manual typewriter
- Tim Thomas (born 1977), pro basketball player, currently on the Chicago Bulls
- Dante Tomaselli (born 1969), horror film screenwriter, director, and composer
- Robert Torricelli (born 1951), politician, former representative of New Jersey in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives
- Elizabeth Vargas (born 1962), ABC news anchor
- “Uncle” Floyd Vivino (born 1951), comic, and star of Uncle Floyd Show, the longest-running ever cable-access show in New Jersey. Also co-starred in the film Good Morning, Vietnam.
- Jimmy Vivino (born 1955), musician, guitarist, member of The Max Weinberg 7
- Patrick Warburton (born 1964), actor, performs in movies and on television, famous for his roles in Seinfeld and Family Guy.
- Darryl Watkins (born 1984), basketball player for Syracuse University
- William G. Watson (1819-1889), founded The Watson Machine Company in Paterson, NJ in 1850 with his brother James Watson, elected Mayor of Paterson in 1866
- Bert Wheeler (1895-1968), of the comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey
- William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), Pediatrician and well-known Modernist poet who wrote the epic poem, Paterson
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